Professional Practices

Licensed professions frequently have standards of conduct to which its members are expected to adhere. In Florida, certified educators
are held to standards of conduct as outlined in the Florida Statutes and State Board of Education Rule. The Principles of Professional
Conduct represent the guideposts of what professional educators and members of the community can and should expect from educators. They
also serve as a reminder to the educator that there are obligations and expectations associated with the profession. In addition to the
standards, the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices include professional responsibility and ethics as a foundational principle of
the state’s teacher preparation programs, educator certification requirements and school district instructional personnel appraisal
systems. These statutes and rules establish the groundwork for education professionals in Florida.

It is important to note that not all incidents of misconduct that may appear to violate the Principles of Professional Conduct warrant
discipline against a certificate. Standards of ethical conduct represent the highest ideals of the education profession. Sometimes a
violation of one or more of the standards is solely an employment matter and most appropriately handled by the employer; other times
conduct may warrant more severe and significant action.

Unfortunately, educator misconduct occurs and is a serious concern for communities, schools, school districts and states across the
country. The safety of Florida’s students is of the utmost importance, and adherence to the professional code of conduct is only one of
several essential components through which we ensure the care of students, the integrity of the profession and the respect of the
community. In addition to the harm it may cause to our students, educator misconduct disgraces the community and denigrates the
profession. Our goal is to reduce educator misconduct through enhancing educators' knowledge and understanding of their professional
obligations and the potential consequences of misconduct. This webpage provides many resources to help educators better understand the
process of investigation and prosecution of educator misconduct.

Office of Professional Practices Services

The Florida Department of Education Office of Professional Practice Services administers a state-level grievance process and plays an
integral part in ensuring that appropriate disciplinary actions are taken against the certificate of an educator certified to teach in
Florida. The Office of Professional Practices Services (PPS) investigates alleged misconduct by educators in Florida who hold an
educator’s certificate and pursues disciplinary actions against the certificates of educators found to have committed acts of
misconduct. The PPS investigates when facts are presented which show a violation has occurred as provided in s. 1012.796, Florida
Statutes, and defined by rules of the State Board of Education. Such facts provide the basis to further investigate whether the
educator has broken the law or violated the Principles of Professional Conduct, which outline the standards of conduct expected of
certified educators in Florida.